The Dragons receive a standing ovation after defeating the Canmore Eagles last Friday night to win the series. This Friday the Dragons are in Brooks for Game One of Round 3 of the playoffs.
The Dragons are in the hunt for the AJHL Southern Division championship, going up against the Brooks Bandits.
The AJHL has released the playoff schedule and this Friday the Drumheller Dragons will be at the Central Regional Arena to kick off game one of the series in Brooks.
This follows a winding road through the post season, which included knocking off the Calgary Mustangs, and then last Friday finishing off the Canmore Eagles in five games in front of more than 1,200 local fans.
“I liked how we played in the series against the Mustangs, I think It was more of our game. I give Canmore credit, they played extremely hard, they are coached well, their organization as a whole is strong, they had a great season,” said Coach Brian Curran. “We knew it was going to be very tough against them.”
For all the troubles the Dragons have had with penalties, it was their powerplay, which was firing last Friday night in Game 5. Christopher Rauckman scored at the 9:44 mark, on the powerplay to put the Dragons up 1-nil in the first period.
Trent Ouellette was able to find the net short-handed seven minutes into the second period, however Canmore did not lie down and scored 30 seconds later. Less than two minutes later, they tied the game.
With just five minutes left in the second period Ethan James put the Dragons up for good on the power play. In the third period, Hunter Mills scored and then Colton Vannucci, on the powerplay gave the dragons a little more insurance. Final score, 5-2.
Curran gives Canmore credit.
“A the end of the day I think our downfall was we took so many penalties and Canmore capitalizes a lot more on their powerplay, they have some great players. Our goaltending and penalty kill did a great job, but that could have been the difference in that series,” said Curran.
With playoffs, it never gets easier, and Brooks this season have proven to be a force. While the Bandits only had nine more points over the season The Dragon were 1-4 head to head.
“We know our hands are full with Brooks, that will be an interesting series for sure,” said Curran.
“I think if both teams played their best hockey, and that is what we hope for, it is going to be a great series. We certainly have to play the game we are capable of playing. Quite frankly, I don’t think we have played our best hockey against them, and that has a lot to do with them. There are certain things we have to be better at.”
One of the things they need to do is keep it clean.
“We cannot afford to do what we did in the last two series and be in the penalty box as much as we have been. Brooks will destroy us. They have too many good players, their systems are very good. Their execution is on, they are just a good hockey club,” said Curran. “We have got to be a lot more intelligent against them and bury the ‘we’re the toughest kid on the block attitude,’ and just play.”
The series starts this Friday night in Brooks and continues Saturday night. On Monday, evening the Dragons will be home to host the Bandits in Game 3.
“I think if they play their best hockey and we play our best hockey, the fans and everyone are going to be in for a great series to watch,” said Curran.
